Going,...going....gone.

(My kids saying goodbye in the early am!)

Lex went back today. It wasn't as emotional and sad as I had anticipated. It was more like a, "Yep he has to go back." It was interesting as I didn't really see any boys cry, a few girls and lots of moms but I held it together rather well. It was kind of anticlimactic as you just weren't sure when you were saying goodbye with the new security measures at the airport. Lex was on edge, I could tell. He didn't want to appear uncool to his friends but wasn't sure when he was suppose to say his final goodbyes either?  It will be so interesting to get his take on all this when he learns how to speak English.

(At the airport with is friends-I don't know what was being said but at one point the blonde boy, Sasha pointed to me asking Lex something.)

The concert Saturday was fun. We had a small part at the end where we walked up with our child and sang the chorus of "When You Believe". We had to be to the concert hall at 4:15 for a practice and then the concert started at 7:00. We walked over to a little Chinese food place between for dinner. Lex likes sweet and sour chicken, hates beef broccoli and tolerates ham fried rice.
The funniest thing was that he kept asking me when we were going home all night long.  I said between 9 and 10 pm. So we are on stage in front of our audience during our little part and his new watch beeps that it's nine o'clock and he turns to me and says "Da doma?".  Like. "Hey, it's nine o'clock, you said we'd go! Who cares that this is our big part and that all eyes are on us, it's nine....lets go!"

(On stage for the rehearsal, he kept trying to tell me it was our time to come up by making walking finger motions to us!)

On the way home he broke out into Ukrainian songs and he and Rylee laughed and giggled all the way home.
Sunday was low key, we went to church and he fell asleep with his head on my lap. Sacrament is hard enough to tolerate when your 10 and you understand the language, imagine what it's like to be 10 and have no idea what they're talking about!?
I made a special dinner and he wouldn't eat my cheesy potatoes or broccoli. But did well with the ham and of course the fruit. When he gets back here he's going to have to start tolerating my cooking more. I'm trying to not let it hurt my feelings but it's rather disheartening when he sniffs disdainfully, spews his food back on to his plate and makes disgusting reaching noises.
Yeah, our list it getting a little long about the things he'll need to learn when he gets back here. Like not belching loudly and multiple times after every meal, not making disgusting faces when presented with food that doesn't meet his sniff of approval. Yes, I said sniff as he literately touches the food with his nose sniffing it before eating it or out right rejecting it. And of course just basic manners like chewing your food with your mouth closed, using a fork and knife and how to say, "No thanks I don't want to..." without making the person asking feel like a rejected idiot.
Lots to learn.....
We can't get with the social worker until James gets back from his next hitch so sometime after the 19th? My children were required to write down their thoughts and feelings about adoption as part of the home study package and I had everyone including Lex do this Sunday morning. Lex wasn't thrilled and after some tears and frustration he did write half a page. What it says I have no idea. It probably says I hate writing this paper, I'm attempting to have it translated.
It was sweet to read what my other children wrote. This isn't all but some of the highlights.
Kambree: "I think that adopting Alexey or any orphan is a really good thing because you are giving someone something that they cannot give themselves."
Austin: "My first reason is because I don't have a brother and I have always wanted one"
Devree: She wrote some very sweet things but the best was "It would effect me by having to sleep with my little sister until we finish the room downstairs which won't be for a long time!"
Rylee: "I had a feeling that someone was missing in our family."
Sunday was mine and James' 18th anniversary. Dev and Ry made us a special breakfast and we're going out tonight to celebrate.
Right now Lex's plane is somewhere over the ocean, I  - being the great mom that I am - sent a large Ziploc of Halloween candy. I hope he doesn't get sick. I also hope he is safe, and warm and cared for and that our paper work goes smoothly and that I sell about 20 more houses in the next three months to pay for this! Pray for us!